The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-11-05


knowing that words could not alter the de-
cision, and so after breakfast we passed
through into the main hall Just as Josiah
was about to open the corridor door, there
was a loud shouting from a female occupy
ing cell upstairs, and Prudence went up
to learn the cause. She was hardly out of
sight when Josiah opened the door and
went in. saw him feeling about his
person. heard him say "Pshawr' but did
not then know that he had forgotten his re.
volyer. While remained by the door, he
went down to cell No. ~, unlocked the pad
lock- buS left it in the staple He then anne
along back, serving each door in the same
way. This was one of Granger's ideas, he
letting out the occupant of cell No. l. and
making him let out the rest Before
the second man was out, the turn
key would be outside the hall door.
Well, Josiah pulled the paddock from
the staple of No 1, threw open the door,
and the next moment was knocked clear
across the corridor, while all the prisoners
set up yelling and shouting. Had grand
father been armed, he would have been all
right, as the prisoner waited to open the
next cell before further attack. He then
leaped upon grandfather, held him down,
throw of the padlocks.
'Shut the door and lock it, Frank ~
shouted JOSIAH, as ne saw that an insurree.
ton was to occur, "and then run and ten
grandmother"
obeyed him, though terribly frightened,
and then fastened upstairs, meeting grand
mother at the head. carrying one OF the
rifles She had heard the struggle, and
knew what it meant. just as she stepped
upon the stairs, there was a wild yell a
great smash, and the corridor door was
taken off its hinges. As afterwards ascer-
tanned, the rascals had used the tools with
such vigor that the hinges of the door had
been almost filed off, and any other man
except grandfather must have noticed the
work.
Well the whole twelve came bounding
into the hail, having secured nv grand
father in cell, feeling confident that they
had only to force the front door to make
| their escape. Prudence stood on the stairs,
in plain view of the villains, and they yelled
again as they saw her.
Hold on, therem she shouted, bringing
the rifle to her shoulder as a sportsman
does when about to make an off-hand shot.
''The first man who comes step nearer
Tall, ferce-looking, and armed with a
deadly weapon, the woman must have
| seemed like determined obstacle in the
path Of escape, for the rascals halted in an
instant. Still keeping the gun leveled at
the crowd, and never once looking at me,
| my grandmother whispered:
Frank, go down to the sitting-room and
bring me up that big revolver. You'll tind
it in the bottom drawer OF the bureau. Be
| sure and get the big one, and run for your
lifew
The brave woman, while looking the des-
peradoes in the face, and expecting rush
every moment, had noticed that the per-
cussion cap had dropped from the nipple
and she was yet cool enough to whisper
what she did.
ran with all my might, jerked open the
drawer, land hold of the "Colt,n which was
d heavy siX-shooter, and in moment was
back again. / came just in time. The gang
had recovered from their surprise, and
having but little fear of the rife lin the
hands of faint-away female, they thought)
they made rush for the stairs Just as
handed grandmother the weapon. .Clicla1
clclI went the hammer; there was yell.
report, and the man who was one third
the way upstairs went rolling down, shot
| dead by bullet through his head.
AS the smoke lifted, caught glimpse
Of grandmother's face, and it frightened
me more than the yells and the shooting.
Her eyes were blazing, her teeth shut hard,
blood oozing from her mouth, coming from
her bitten lips, and never since have seen
such sight.
"Go back! Go back to your cells this mo-
mentw she shouted, descending a step or
two, and aiming the revolver at the head
of the nearest man.
The gang fell back, back until they were
| halfway down the hall, and then they
stopped. Wild-C Cat Jim had given the word,
and they were going to try it again.
''See here, old woman" shouted jim,
raising his fist at her: well murder you
for this. We didn't want to hurt you, but
now Wen roast you alive on the stove"
| She was on he middle air and ut the
head. Without moving her head or betray-
ing the least emotion in her voice, she whis-
| pered to me once more:
'Frank, if the men get me, do you shut
and lock the door, run into the sitting
room, lock that door, and then run into the
street and tell the men that the prisoners
are loose. If you don't do this, they will
kill you"
The gang were shouting and shaking
their fists, furious at being foiled by a
woman, and then in q moment every voice
was stilled. They were going to rush.
-"Come on, boysi Don't spare herr'
shouted Wildcat Jim, and they rushed.
| They reached the stairs, came bounding UP,
and then there was o report, followed by
another, and then every thing was still again
every thing except the sickening bump,
bump OF two dead bodies, as they fell from
| step TO step.
The smoke cleared OF after moment,
and saw three bodies at the foot OF the
| stairs, and the blanched faces Of the nine
desperadoes halfway down the hall. NV
grandmother had only been acting on the
defence as yet; she now prepared to be-
come the attacking parry Walking slowly
down the stairs. her eyes looking like blaz-
ing Goals, her lips covered with blood, and
the smoking revolver held ready for use.
| she stepped over tho bodies, advanced to
within five feet of the nearest man and
said, her voice sounding like sharp hiss :
"Get back, dogsi Get back into the cor.
rider! The man who stands here after |
have counted ten will become a corpse.n
| did not faint away, but came very near
| it. Clutching the railing for support. was
so blind for moment that could not see
the figures in the hall, but could hear the
clear voice of grandmo her crying out:
wo--three-four--"
She did not cOuut fllrthar Tho nala 20